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ffDesign_ZipTieChannels

Command: Zip Tie Channels

This command is a convenient tool to generate channels for zip ties to a part. This provides an easy way to fasten cables and other things to your designs.

Extensive use of zip tie channels

If you want to learn more about this design technique, read Zip Tie Channels from my Design for 3D-Printing guide. Or watch the great video by Alan Reiner.

Prerequisites

  • A sketch in the current active body must be selected.

Usage

Run this command to generate zip tie channels for each point in the selected sketch.

Important: The sketch must contain acutal Point features! Right now, this tool will ignore other "points" like the ends of lines or the center of circles.

A dialog will open in the Task Panel where you can control the generation.

Screenshot of the dialog for Zip Tie Channels

  • Use line ends instead of points: Not yet supported.

  • Channel Width: Width of the zip tie channels. Should be the width of your zip ties plus some clearance.

  • Channel Thickness: Thickness of the zip tie channels, or height of the zip ties. Should leave plenty of clearance, because otherwise the inserting the zip ties becomes really really difficult.

  • Channel Bridge Diameter: Diameter of the inner bridge, spanning across the zip tie channel. This diameter significantly impacts the strength of the zip tie channels.

Click "OK" to then proceed generating the zip tie channels. This will create the following features:

  • A template sketch for the zip tie channel shape.
  • A VarSet with various parametric settings for the channels.
  • A shape-binder and a pocket feature for each zip tie channel.

In the generated VarSet, you can additionally control the orientation of the zip tie channels. It contains a ChannelRotation property for this purpose.

The orientation is important, because zip tie channels where the layer lines do not run across the channel bridge are very fragile.

Parametricity

This feature is parametric with respect to the following variables:

  • Supporting Sketch
    • The position of the points in the supporting sketch
    • The position of the supporting sketch itself
  • Zip Tie Channel Template
    • The dimensions constrained in the template sketch.
  • Zip Tie Channel VarSet
    • The width of the zip tie channels (ChannelWidth property)
    • The orientation of te zip tie channels (ChannelRotation property)

This feature is not parametric with respect to the following variables. You will need to delete the feature and recreate it to update these variables:

  • Supporting Sketch
    • The number of points in the supporting sketch